Australian Finger Lime Culture

[CTMIAMI]

I would like to star a discussion on AFL. Thety are relative new and little is known or published about their culture.  I have a lots of questions y you have question on AFL place them here if you like so we can review when need to.

1) These are seedlings. Question: do you stake them now and  start trimming them into a tree shape now or wait. Seems like a bushy three.?


2) For grafting is there a preferred root stock family to use? . I tried grafting on Sour Orange and did not work. (agree I don't know much about citrus. Period)

3) Is there a special grafting technique since we have very thin branches? Time of the year? Any video, pictures on grafting finger limes?

4) Does anyone out there has a color other than green in USA?

5) the AFL is described as an understory plant so I assume it can handle and do well in filtered light.?  I have a couple of places with indirect sun I can plant them in. Any one has any experience on this?

6) Do they do well in alkaline soil or need adjusting?

7) I understand they need water but is there a dormant period where they can be dry or need to be dry?

Any good book or articles on AFL?


 

[Tropicalgrower89]

Wow. Those spines are as long as the leaves.   

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Carlos,

maybe try grafting onto another lime...I know key lime works as a rootstock.

remove all thorns and leaves and cleft graft, with scions wrapped in parafilm

people in FL have some of the red fingerlimes, but they are for some reason harder to grow, maybe appreciating a drier climate?  I've never seen one fruit in FL...just the green types

I wouldn't prune the tree...just keep it in semi shade for now: and keep acid moist, but not too wet.  I think these plants have some drought resistance but not flood resistance.

I've seen them fruit well (the green types) is full sun, and partial sun...so I'd be safe and keep them in some bright but shaded lighting.

good luck!

[CTMIAMI]

Actually those seedlings have been in fun sun for 4-5 hours a day and seem to like it.

[RodneyS]

I was given an Australian Finger Lime from a friend.  I belive it's the green kind.  Can't wait to try those citrus pellets

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Actually those seedlings have been in fun sun for 4-5 hours a day and seem to like it.

sounds about right....looks like theyre having fun in the sun.

[luc]

I was given an Australian Finger Lime from a friend.  I belive it's the green kind.  Can't wait to try those citrus pellets

Doen't look like a fingerlime to me , but I was not able to magnify the image.....

[carraig]

It may vary by climate, but when we lived in Texas we had about 15 fingerlimes fruiting in 10g pots.  They were all the green variety, all on trifoliate rootstock, and they ONLY fruited in the shade.  We could not get them to bloom in full sun, however they did well in the shade of the oak trees.  They also only fruited when well watered, though they tolerated drought well if fruit isn't a concern.

Regards,
Carraig

[fruitlovers]

I planted some in full sun and they slowly croaked. Later i read that most are understory trees and appreciate some shade, especially in the tropics. I'm trying again in a more shaded locations and so far they seem a lot happier.

[Finca La Isla]

The finger limes occurr naturally as an understory tree but the photos I have seen of orchards in Australia are always in full sun.  I have one tree that is about 2 meters tall in a fairly sunny site.  We're waiting on it but the tree has always grown well and looked good.  The soil doesn't really dry out where it is, clay loam about ph 6.0.
Peter

[CTMIAMI]

I planted some in full sun and they slowly croaked. Later i read that most are understory trees and appreciate some shade, especially in the tropics. I'm trying again in a more shaded locations and so far they seem a lot happier.

Makes sense, I had one in 10 gal and placed into a more sunny location and suffered serious die back. Left it there but watered more often and now is doing fine. I have a couple in pots that will plant in semi-shade to see how they do.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/320272/growing-australian-native-finger-limes.pdf

this informative PDF shows fingerlimes being grown commercially in full sun.

[BMc]

I just stick mine in some peat80 potting mix and they grow well, though all of mine are grafted. They like to be watered once a week to get flowering started. Some of the rubbishy pink types (like Rainforest Pearl) are really tough and will grow as fast as jakfruit in full sun. Others, like the yellows, are more tender and seem to get sunburnt easier, while the blacks are much slower and have dieback problems. True Reds seem to like some shade. The greens are usually pretty steady-slow growers and most crop well. I dont have any in-ground anymore, but keep them in large pots on the side of my house that gets full morning sun but no harsh western afternoon sun. They fruit pretty well and flower constantly.

[CTMIAMI]

BMc what are they grafted on in Australia, do you know?

[So_Cal_Mike]

BMc what are they grafted on in Australia, do you know?

From the article posted above by ASaffron

Although no formal rootstock trials have been undertaken for finger limes they are most commonly budded onto Citrus trifoliata or Troyer citrange rootstocks. To date no obvious incompatibility on these rootstocks has been reported. C. trifoliata is the preferred rootstock for heavy clay-loam soils or in areas with high or frequent rainfall. Most finger limes grown in coastal areas are budded onto C. trifoliata for protection against Phytophthora root rot. Rootstock choice should always match soil and climatic conditions.

[CTMIAMI]

From recent test Sour Orange and AFL don't like each other. I'm now trying Flaying dragon and other Trifoliate seedlings, with cleft grafting as ASaffron suggested.

[CTMIAMI]

I love this Forum. I was trying to bud graft the AFL and based on advise from ASaffron changed to cleft grating, using Flying Dragon as root stock. Voila!!!! Buds pushing out in 9 days.

[ScottR]

Carlos, great to see your success flow over to citrus! Not much better than seeing new graft's grow Congrats.

[behlgarden]

Here is picture of my Australian finger lime fruiting. Bought a 3 gal for $23 from home Depot in Jan, put into ground immediately. It's in full sun. It put one fruit from 2 flowers from winter, it's blooming again, is it year round producer?

[WaterFowler]

I planted some in full sun and they slowly croaked. Later i read that most are understory trees and appreciate some shade, especially in the tropics. I'm trying again in a more shaded locations and so far they seem a lot happier.

Weird. I bought one from Home Depot over 2 years ago, it's a purple with green flesh variety simply called "Dwarf Finger Lime" I believe. The first year I had it partially shaded because I was afraid of what our sun would do to it. I even planted a castor bean plant to the west of it to provide protection. However it looked like it took our heat fine so this last summer I removed the shade and cut down the castor bean so it received sun all day long. It did fine other than a few leaves on top yellowing at the edges a little. We are also one of the hottest places in the nation outside of death valley. We had 5 days of 120 degrees or more and an average August temp of 110 degrees. It took our winter just fine as well that destroyed a lot of my subtropicals. Tough little tree.

It also fruited last year, and is fruiting this year despite yesterday being 100 degrees, today 103, and tomorrow 104. The tree is still no more than 5 feet tall but the leaves are bright green and beautiful. Looks in the best shape I have ever seen it. That said, the fruits are very small which is disappointing, like a little over half my pinkie and smaller in diameter. I'll see what the fruit looks like this year, if they are small again, I'll probably try and put a full size, grafted variety right up against it. I didn't see a graft line. Since it was from HD, I'm guessing it's a seedling.

[pvaldes]

It only flowers once in my experience, but can delay some flowers if recovering from problems with water and given manure (they love manure. Just can't get enough of it). interval around april-may, even june if I remember correctly. Wants to be a dense shrub fully loaded with green iron nails. Would make a wonderful hedge if the climate is right

> the fruits are very small

Can improve with time, but is a small fruit, around 12g. All is mini in this citrics except thorns.

[behlgarden]

Well that sucks. I will see how big mine grows. I also have grafted one from UCR Citrus Valley collection.

Has anyone fruited regular size in US?

[pvaldes]

It seems after the bibliography that you can expect up to 60g for each fruit but 20-30g are more common values. Having more seeds would translate to bigger fruits probably

[shaneatwell]

My fruit have been small as well. Green variety.

Grafts well onto lemon by cleft or whip.

[behlgarden]

Mine fruited in last 6 weeks and size is already 2 inches. You think it will continue to mature bigger as it gets to harvest in fall?